BMW i3 2018

Overview

Unmistakable and unconventional, the i3 is a unique electric car. The funky hatchback has a structure of carbon fiber and aluminum and a standard 170-hp (i3) or 184-hp (i3s) electric motor. Both models offer an optional two-cylinder gas engine that extends the total EPA-rated range up to 180 miles. We saw 79 MPGe with the range-extended i3 and 111 MPGe with the pure EV version. The sporty i3s brings BMW’s legendary driving dynamics to the lineup with a special suspension and larger wheels.

Few things this side of a supercar draw as many eyes in traffic as the BMW i3. Its cheeky, futuristic styling rides upon a high-tech platform that is equal parts carbon fiber and battery-electric propulsion. Tidy dimensions make zipping through congested city traffic easy, and the i3 leaves nothing in its wake except slack jaws. Unfortunately, the base i3 and the slightly sportier i3s only offer 114 and 107 miles of combined EPA-rated driving range, respectively—far less than the Chevrolet Bolt EV or the Tesla Model 3. The BMW can be had with a two-cylinder range-extending gasoline engine, something neither the Chevy nor the Tesla offers, but if you’re not married to the i3’s neat styling and cool interior, the lower-priced Bolt EV makes a lot more sense.

What’s New for 2018?

The performance-oriented i3s model joins the lineup for 2018 and sports a more aggressive exterior design in the form of new front and rear bumpers and gloss-black grille and roofline accents. To live up to its sportier appearance, the i3s comes with a lowered sport suspension, a wider track, and 20-inch wheels that are a half-inch wider than those of the normal i3. A 184-hp electric motor provides extra punch (up 14 horsepower from the standard car), but driving range suffers if the i3s is driven hard. Other minor changes include an upgraded infotainment system with a much larger optional display and available Apple CarPlay. A new brown leather and gray cloth interior theme is available on the Giga World model, full LED headlamps are now standard across the range, and two new colors join the palette: Melbourne Red Metallic and Imperial Blue Metallic. Last year’s 21.6-kWh base model is no longer offered—fine by us.

What Was New for 2017?

For 2017, BMW gave the i3 a sizable range boost with the addition of a 33.2-kWh battery pack for an extra $2050. The new pack required no more space than the old one and provided an EPA-rated 114 miles of electric range on a charge. That’s a significant jump up from the entry-level pack’s 81-mile rating. The range extender can only be added to the optional larger battery pack, providing three total powertrain choices for the 2017 i3.

Trims and Options We’d Choose

Because of the i3’s city-car nature, we’d pick the electric-only model and equip it with the $1800 Giga World package, which adds:

• Lovely eucalyptus or dark-oak curved-wood dashboard trim
• Leather-and-wool seating surfaces
• 19-inch wheels

To that we’d pay $750 for front and rear parking sensors and $800 for the 16-speaker Harman/Kardon premium audio system. At $48,795, our preferred i3 is priced much higher than the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which offers more than twice the driving range, but as of this writing, both cars are still eligible for the $7500 federal EV tax credit.